Broadwater Industries has years of service from aluminum watercraft in Prince Rupert, B.C.

Boats are essential service vehicles in a coastal environment but in the North Pacific Coast it is a tough environment so it takes a boat that can handle the stormy and belligerent North Pacific Ocean. Broadwater Industries built their first aluminum boat in 1984 for the B.C. Dept. of Forestry, said Mike Collins, head of the boat division. “I have been building boats since 1977 and in my 32-year career I have built over 500 boats personally.”
   

 Broadwater Industries boat division has been visited by customers for many different reasons, he explained, to build boats for everything from recreation, commercial, Auxiliary Coast Guard, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, crew boats, charter Boats, to the frequently seen aluminum work boats.
    

One of the advantages of an aluminum boat is its durability, said  Collins, “And they provide many years of service with low maintenance cost. The durability of the hull allows the boat to be beached for shore work. They stand up very well with collisions with debris in the water.” He said the aluminum boat repairs are very often minor.
     

Aluminum boats retain their value over the years, and “usually the replacement power (engine) is the largest cost to keep the boat up to its origin state. I know of several boats that I have built 25 years ago that are still running around,” said  Collins. The aluminum boat construction begins with a quote, “With new sales of our boats the quoted price is always guaranteed as long as there are no significant changes after the construction has started.”
     

Broadwater sends weekly emails to the buyers with pictures showing the construction process, “and if any questions arise we are able to answer them promptly. If there are any changes during construction we work very closely with our customers to keep any added costs to the minimum.” With the finished boat Broadwater Industries gives a 10 year limited warranty on the hull.
    

“Our boats are all custom built,” said Collins, “so we don't normally have boats in our yard for sale. This I feel is a good practice, this gives us the opportunity to listen to our customer's needs and ideas of how they would like their boat constructed.” He noted, “Many of our customers are First Nations. We have sold boats to individuals for recreation, food fishing, commuting, chartering, and tourism. We have sold our boats as well to First Nation communities. Their main uses so far have been for fisheries programs, Watchman programs, and crew boats.”
     

The designs and applications at Broadwater are time-tested and unique, “Our boats have evolved into one of the best built anywhere. I have always appreciated listening to our First Nation customer's ideas because most boats that are sold to First Nation communities are used in remote regions under at times unfavorable weather conditions and usually on a daily basis.”

Learn more from Mike Collins at 1-250-624-5158 www.broadwater.bc.ca